Device for lubrication of horizontal wine and fruit presses with cylindrical press basket

ABSTRACT

A horizontal wine and fruit press has a cylindrical pressing chamber and a threaded spindle extending axially through the chamber on which spindle a pressing plate is mounted. The plate is rotatable relative to the spindle and a lubricating device is disposed on the plate for lubricating the threaded opening in the plate. The lubricating device includes a lubricating cylinder and a feed cylinder connected to the lubricating cylinder. The lubricating cylinder has a piston movable by movement of the pressing plate along the pressing chamber.

United States Patent [191 Bredebusch [451 Aug. 6, 1974 DEVICE FOR LUBRICATION OF HORIZONTAL WINE AND FRUIT PRESSES WITH CYLINDRICAL PRESS BASKET 3,606,220 9/1971 Harnmonds et al 184/14 X Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerPhilip R. Coe

Attorney, Agent, or FirmHofgren, Wegncr, Allen, Stellman & McCord ABSTRACT A horizontal wine and fruit press has a cylindrical pressing chamber and a threaded spindle extending axially through the chamber on which spindle a pressing plate is mounted. The plate is rotatable relative to the spindle and a lubricating device is disposed on the plate for lubricating the threaded openingin the plate. The lubricating device includes a lubricating cylinder and a feed cylinder connected to the lubricating cylinder. The lubricating cylinder has a piston movable by movement of the pressing plate along the pressing 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures [75] Inventor: Heinrich Bredebusch,

Erbach/Odenwald, Germany [73] Assignee: Rotary Illoes Limited, West Hordon,

Essex, England [57] [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 301,260

[52] US. Cl. 100/289, 184/14 [51] Int. Cl. B30b l/18, 83% 15/00, Fl6n H00 [58] Field of Search 100/289, 290; 184/5, 6 R, 184/14, 27 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS chamber 126,679 5/1872 Crawford 100/289 PATENTEDAUE 61914 3,827,354

I SHEET 2 OF 2 I 7 IO 8 4a 5b 58 52 46 54 9092 lb I2 4 FIG. 2

DEVICE FOR LUBRICATION OF HORIZONTAL WINE AND FRUIT PRESSES WITH CYLINDRICAL PRESS BASKET The invention relates to a horizontal wine and fruit press of the kind having a cylindrical pressing chamber and a threaded spindle extending axially through the chamber on which threaded spindle at least one of two pressing plates having a threaded central opening is mounted. The plate or plates are rotatable relative to the threaded spindle and on the pressing plate there is disposed a lubricating device connected through a delivery pipe to a lubrication point in the threaded opening in the pressing plate. The plate is driven by a wheel which is engaged in a positively locking manner with a driving rod extending in the axial direction of the pressing chamber.

In a known wine and fruit press the lubricating device includes a plunger which is moved axially intermittently via the driving wheel, the plunger acting in a conventional grease cylinder in which with every plunger movement the plunger is moved forward by a predetermined amount. With such an arrangement compressible connections in the system, for example, air connections, lead to a reduction of the pressure attainable in the lubrication device.

It is further known to provide on the pressing plate a screw-actuated lubrication press. The threaded spindle thereby carries on its outer end star-like fingers which co-operate with an actuating arm which is rotatably mounted on the hub of the pressing plate and which is held by a weight in a position directed substantially perpendicularly downwards. Such screw presses are in their action insensitive to compressible connections. With such a lubrication arrangement, however, upon opening the press the pressing piston of the lubrication device is drawn back and thereby produces a negative pressure in the lubrication system.

The object of the invention is to provide a wine and fruit press of the kind described in which lubrication is ensured even when the pressing plate is moved to and fro and in which a single refilling operation for each operating sequence of the press is possible.

According to the invention the lubrication press of the kind described has a cylinder with a piston driven by a threaded spindle and a feed cylinder under pretension, the feed cylinder being connected to the pressing cylinder through a check valve providing for flow towards the pressing cylinder, and in the connecting pipe to the lubrication point there is arranged a check valve providing for flow towards the lubrication point.

Conveniently a feed piston in the feed cylinder is pretensioned by a spring. The feed piston is preferably provided with a piston rod which projects outwards through an end wall of the feed cylinder and is provided on the exterior with filling level markings.

In a particularly suitable embodiment the pressing cylinder and feed cylinder are coaxial. Thereby the pressing cylinder and the feed cylinder may have a common base plate in which are arranged the connection between the two cylinders in the form of a filling channel with an external feed nipple, and an outlet channel of the pressing cylinder with the check valve. The common base plate is preferably integral with the support means for the lubrication device. In a suitable embodiment the driving wheel in engagement with the drive rod is disposed directly on the threaded spindle for the pressing piston. The drive rod is preferably formed with a fiat profile the main plane of which extends radially inwards from the inner wall of the pressing piston and which is perforated forreceiving the teeth of the driving wheel. The distribution of the perforations along the drive rod may be irregular.

In the hub at the mouth of the lubrication channel in the thread there may be provided a check valve providing for flow towards the thread.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is described as follows with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section along the line Il in FIG. 2 showing an end view of a pressing plate with a lubrication device disposed thereon according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a section substantially along the line Il-ll of FIG. 1.

The press illustrated in the drawing has a threaded main spindle 2 extending horizontally which may be mounted or held rotatably or non-rotatably in a press frame (not shown). The embodiment illustrated has a stationary threaded spindle. On a cylindrical end section 4 of the threaded spindle there is rotatably mounted an end plate 6 of a pressing chamber 8 of the press. A press cover 10 may consist of a perforated metal sheet or of staves. The end plate 6 is furthermore preferably provided on its outer periphery with a toothed rim, (not shown) with which a pinion of a drive wheel (not shown) meshes. The end plate 6 is provided with large openings.

Inside the press cylinder 8 a pressing plate 14 is disposed axially movable on a thread 12 of the main spindle 2. The pressing plate 14 is in engagement with the spindle thread by means of a thread in the plate hub 14. As can be seen in FIG. 1 the pressing plate has on its periphery a cut-out portion 18 into which engages a guide bar 20 secured to the inner periphery of the press vat cover 10. By this means relative rotation between the pressing plate and press vat is prevented. On one longitudinal side of the guide bar 20 there is disposed a fiat section bar 22 whose plane extends radially inwards and over the length of the press cover 10. For receiving this flat bar the pressing plate has on its periphery a cut-out portion 24 corresponding to the cut-out portion 18.

For the lubrication of the threads between the pressing plate 14 and the main spindle 2 there is provided a lubrication drive device 26 which is described in detail as follows:

The lubricating drive device 26 has a pressing cylinder 28 and a feed cylinder 30. In the embodiment shown these two cylinders are coaxial with one another and have a common base plate 32. The pressing cylinder 28 and the feed cylinder 30 are formed by cylindrical housings 34 and 36 respectively. These housings consist of tubular sections which are formed with an outer thread engaging in corresponding recesses in a base plate 32. In the pressing cylinder 28 there is disposed an axially movable pressing piston 38 which is sealed by sealing rings 40 against the wall of the cylinder and is held non-rotatably by a pin 44 engaging in an axial groove 42 in the piston 38. The pressing piston 38 and the common base plate define a chamber 28a. The cylindrical housing 34 is closed by means of an end plate 46 in which there is rotatably mounted in a bearing 48 a threaded lubricator spindle 50 which is in screw-threaded engagement in a threaded bore in the pressing piston 38. Between a flange 52 disposed on the threaded spindle and the fixed plate 46 is disposed a thrust bearing 54. On the end of the threaded lubricator spindle 50 projecting beyond the plate 46 is placed a toothed wheel 56 which is secured against rotation by a pin 58. The toothed wheel 56 meshes with apertures 60 in the flat bar 22 as a rack and pinion. The apertures 60 are formed as rectangular stamped out portions in the fiat bar whereby a row of perforations is formed.

The cylindrical housing 36 of the feed cylinder 30 is likewise closed by an end plate 62. In the feed cylinder 30 there is arranged an axially movable piston 64 which is also provided with sealing rings and is disposed on a piston rod 66 having a reduced end portion 68 that projects outwards through a bore in the plate 62 and is provided with filling markings 68a. Between the plate 62 and the piston 64 is disposed a compression spring 70. The space above the piston 64 defines a lubricant chamber 30a. The movement of the piston 64 is limited downwardly by a shoulder 72 on the piston rod 66 and upwardly by a pin 73.

In the common base plate 32 of the lubricating device there is formed a feed channel 74 which leads into the feed cylinder 30 and is closed by a conventional lubrication nipple 76 through which the feed cylinder 30 can be filled with grease.

The feed cylinder 30 and the pressing cylinder 28 are connected to one another by a channel 78 in which is disposed at check valve 80 allowing flow of grease towards the pressing cylinder 28. Leading from the pressing cylinder 28 is a further channel 82 which communicates with a tube connector 84. In the channel 82 is located a check valve 86 which allows flow towards the connector 84.

A pipe 88 is arranged on the connector 84 and the pipe 88 leads to a lubricating point 90 in the hub 16 of the pressing plate 14. The lubricating point leads into the thread in the opening in the hub 16 and is provided with a check valve 92 allowing flow towards the thread.

The base plate 32 is connected by a support bar 94 to a support flange 96 by which the pressing plate 14 supports the device. The pressing plate is formed with projections 98 which form flat contact faces for the flange 96 and through which fixing screws 100 are located. The bores in the support flange 96 are greater than the diameter of the screws 100 to give the possibility of adjustment.

The pressing device described operates as follows. With an empty feed cylinder the piston 64 lies in its uppermost position adjacent the top of the feed cylinder. This end position is determined by the stop pin 73 which contacts against the feed cylinder plate 62. Grease is fed into the feed cylinder through the feed nipple 76 under pressure, for example, using a handoperated lubricating gun, whereby the piston 64 is pushed downwards against the force of the spring 70 a distance according to the amount of grease. After complete filling of the feed cylinder 30 the shoulder 72 of the piston rod 66 is engaged against the lid 62. This position is also indicated by a full mark 75, on the exterior 68 of the piston rod 66.

In the end position shown in FIG. 2 the pressing piston 38 is located in its uppermost position. While filling the feed cylinder 30 grease can also enter the pressing cylinder 28 through the check valve 80, the pressing cylinder being deaerated through the check valve 86, the lubricating pipe 88 and the check valve 92. As the two check valves 86 and 92 haveonly a slight resistance to opening, the lubricating pipe 88 is also filled. If any air remains in the pressing chamber 28 this is, as will be described below, without significance for satisfactory lubrication.

ln carrying out a pressing procedure, upon the pressing plate 14 moving forward the pressing piston 38 is moved downwards by means of the threaded lubricator spindle 50 and the toothed wheel 56 meshing with the teeth 60 so that the grease is supplied from the pressing cylinder 28 to the lubricating point 90. The pressing pressure is only dependent on the resistance in the thread between the pressing plate 14 and the threaded main spindle 2. Any air enclosed in the cylinder is compressed according to the counter pressure and is pressed through the pressing piston and the check valve 86 into the lubricating pipe 88. The pressing operation by the press is normally effected in several stages so that after reaching a pre-determined pressure in the press the pressure is reduced by retracting the pressing plate. The pressed cake of grapes or fruit is repeatedly loosened by driving the pressing plates backwards and forwards. As will be appreciated grease is supplied from the pressing piston 38 into the lubricating pipe 88 only during a forward movement of the pressing plate 14. Upon driving back the pressing plate the pressing piston 38 is retracted. Thus grease is drawn into the pressing cylinder 28 from the feed cylinder 30 through the check valve 80. The drawing in of grease through the lubricating pipe 88 is prevented by the check valve 86. With each return of the pressing plate 14 automatic refilling of the pressing cylinder 28 is effected. At the same time the supply of lubricating grease to the lubricating point is interrupted since this is not necessary during retraction of the pressing plate.

As can be seen from the foregoing the volume of the pressing cylinder 28 need only be such that it is sufficient for the lubrication on movement of the pressing plate between its two end positions. Due to the to and fro movement of the pressing plate during a pressing procedure the whole distance moved by the pressing plate is very much greater than the distance between the two end positions. The volume of the feed cylinder 30 is determined by the total distance moved by the pressing plate over which lubrication is to be carried out. After a pressing sequence is terminated and the pressing plate 14 has again reached its end position the feed cylinder 30 is again filled in the manner described.

The check valve 92 directly in front of the lubricating point prevents the penetration into the lubricating pipe 88 of pressed material which could otherwise pass along the thread to this point.

The supply of lubricant by the lubricating press over the path of the pressing plate can be adapted to the particular circumstances by providing the apertures 60 with a suitable pitch. Over the first part of the path of the pressing plate only relatively small forces act on the pressing plate so only a relatively light lubrication is necessary. The apertures 60, therefore, may be relatively large in this area whilst in the further area they are narrower until finally a size corresponding to the tooth spacing on the wheel 56 is provided so that the maximum supply of lubricant is attained.

Although the embodiment of the lubricating device shown and described has proved to be especially suitable, varying formations may also be effected. Thus, for example, it is not absolutely necessary for the feed cylinder and the lubricating cylinder to be disposed coaxially with one another. Furthermore the driving toothed wheel need not be disposed directly on the driving spindle for the pressing piston.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by letters patent of the United States is:

1. In a horizontal wine and fruit press having a cylindrical pressing chamber and a threaded main spindle extending axially through the chamber, a pressing plate having a hub with a threaded central opening mounted on the threaded spindle and being rotatable relative to the threaded spindle for travel along the pressing chamber, lubricating means on the pressing plate comprising, in combination:

a pressing cylinder having a closed end and a discharge end;

a pressing piston in the pressing cylinder which defines a chamber with said discharge end;

a threaded lubricator spindle for driving said pressing piston in the pressing cylinder;

means for rotating said threaded lubricator spindle in response to travel of the pressing plate along the main spindle;

a feed cylinder having a closed end and a feed end;

a feed piston in the feed cylinder which is biased toward the feed end and defines a lubricant chamber with said feed end;

means for introducing lubricant to said lubricant chamber;

a lubricant channel connecting the feed cylinder lubricant chamber with the pressing cylinder chamber, there being a first check valve in said lubricant channel permitting flow of lubricant only toward the pressing cylinder;

and a delivery tube connecting the pressing cylinder chamber to the threaded central opening in the hub of the pressing plate, there being a further check valve associated with the delivery tube permitting flow of lubricant only toward said central opening.

2. A press according to claim 1, wherein the feed piston is pretensioned by a spring.

3. A press according to claim 1 wherein the feed piston is provided with a piston rod which projects outwards through an end wall of the feed cylinder, and filling level markings are provided on the exterior of the piston rod.

4. A press according to claim 1, wherein the pressing cylinder and the feed cylinder are disposed coaxially.

5. A press according to claim 4, wherein the pressing cylinder and the feed cylinder have a common base plate in which are arranged a lubricant feed channel for the feed cylinder with an external feed nipple, and an outlet channel connecting the pressure cylinder chamber to the delivery tube, said further check valve being located in said outlet channel.

6. A press according to claim 1, wherein the delivery tube connects with the threaded opening in the hub of the pressing plate through a channel in the hub, and a check valve in said hub channel provides for flow of lubricant towards the thread.

7. A press according to claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the threaded lubricator spindle comprises a driving wheel operatively connected to said threaded lubricator spindle and a drive rod extending axially of the pressing chamber with which the driving wheel is engaged.

8. A press according to claim 7, wherein the driving wheel in engagement with the drive rod is disposed directly on the threaded lubricator spindle for the pressing piston.

9. A press according to claim 7, wherein the drive rod is formed with a flat profile and the plane of the rod extends radially inwards from the inner wall of the pressing piston and has perforations, and the driving wheel has teeth engaging said perforations.

10. A press according to claim 7 wherein the driving wheel and drive rod comprise a fixed rack and a pinion. 

1. In a horizontal wine and fruit press having a cylindrical pressing chamber and a threaded main spindle extending axially through the chamber, a pressing plate having a hub with a threaded central opening mounted on the threaded spindle and being rotatable relative to the threaded spindle for travel along the pressing chamber, lubricating means on the pressing plate comprising, in combination: a pressing cylinder having a closed end and a discharge end; a pressing piston in the pressing cylinder which defines a chamber with said discharge end; a threaded lubricator spindle for driving said pressing piston in the pressing cylinder; means for rotating said threaded lubricAtor spindle in response to travel of the pressing plate along the main spindle; a feed cylinder having a closed end and a feed end; a feed piston in the feed cylinder which is biased toward the feed end and defines a lubricant chamber with said feed end; means for introducing lubricant to said lubricant chamber; a lubricant channel connecting the feed cylinder lubricant chamber with the pressing cylinder chamber, there being a first check valve in said lubricant channel permitting flow of lubricant only toward the pressing cylinder; and a delivery tube connecting the pressing cylinder chamber to the threaded central opening in the hub of the pressing plate, there being a further check valve associated with the delivery tube permitting flow of lubricant only toward said central opening.
 2. A press according to claim 1, wherein the feed piston is pretensioned by a spring.
 3. A press according to claim 1 wherein the feed piston is provided with a piston rod which projects outwards through an end wall of the feed cylinder, and filling level markings are provided on the exterior of the piston rod.
 4. A press according to claim 1, wherein the pressing cylinder and the feed cylinder are disposed coaxially.
 5. A press according to claim 4, wherein the pressing cylinder and the feed cylinder have a common base plate in which are arranged a lubricant feed channel for the feed cylinder with an external feed nipple, and an outlet channel connecting the pressure cylinder chamber to the delivery tube, said further check valve being located in said outlet channel.
 6. A press according to claim 1, wherein the delivery tube connects with the threaded opening in the hub of the pressing plate through a channel in the hub, and a check valve in said hub channel provides for flow of lubricant towards the thread.
 7. A press according to claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the threaded lubricator spindle comprises a driving wheel operatively connected to said threaded lubricator spindle and a drive rod extending axially of the pressing chamber with which the driving wheel is engaged.
 8. A press according to claim 7, wherein the driving wheel in engagement with the drive rod is disposed directly on the threaded lubricator spindle for the pressing piston.
 9. A press according to claim 7, wherein the drive rod is formed with a flat profile and the plane of the rod extends radially inwards from the inner wall of the pressing piston and has perforations, and the driving wheel has teeth engaging said perforations.
 10. A press according to claim 7 wherein the driving wheel and drive rod comprise a fixed rack and a pinion. 